Cameroonian Refugee Situation, Nigeria 16 - 30 September 2018

EMERGENCY UPDATE

Cameroonian refugee situation, Nigeria 16 - 30 September 2018

56 refugee households UNHCR facilitated training on 1,529 Cameroonian refugees received shelter kits to start registration systems and received food and non-food construction of their permanent protection principles for 20 items in Adagom settlement shelter in Adagom settlement newly deployed National (Cross River state). (Cross River state). Commission For Refugee (NCFRMI) staff in Ogoja (Cross River state).

KEY INDICATORS

26,891 Cameroonian refugees registered with Level 1 and Level 2 registration [As of 30th September 2018]

2,513 Cameroonian refugees registered in Anyake settlement, th Benue State [as of 30 September 2018]

Refugees receiving non-food items in Adagom settlement, Cross 2,859 River state © UNHCR/C. Cavalcanti Cameroonian refugees registered in Adagom settlement,

Cross River State [as of 30th September 2018]

Operational Context

With two crucial dates in the political calendar of Cameroon approaching (Anniversary of Independence of Southern Cameroon – 1st October 2018 and Cameroon Presidential Elections – 7th October 2018), refugees continued to arrive in Nigeria during the reporting period, albeit in limited numbers. They mainly arrive from Akwaya and Eyumojock sub-divisions. UNHCR and its partners carried out protection monitoring in border areas, namely around the most used informal access points, to assess the situation and the needs of new arrivals. Official border entry points remained closed. Some refugees reported cases of human rights violations.

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Cameroonian refugee situation, Nigeria / 16 – 30 September 2018

Update On Achievements

■ Protection Monitoring – On 17th September 2018, UNHCR conducted protection monitoring at Calabar harbour (Cross River state), to assess the presence of new arrivals on the ships coming from Cameroon. 17 refugees were identified, documented and referred to protection partner Caritas for further follow up. ■ On 21st September 2018, a joint UNHCR and National Commission for Refugees (NCFRMI) protection monitoring mission was carried out in the border locality of Ikang (Bakassi Local Government Area, Cross River state), to identify and sensitize new arrivals on UNHCR and Government support as well as voluntary relocation. A total of 160 refugees were identified, most of them are women and children arrived between August and September 2018. Refugees were in dire need of food and non-food items, shelter, healthcare, water and sanitation facilities. ■ On 25th September 2018, protection monitoring was carried out in the border locality of Amana (Obanliku Local Government Area, Cross River state). Despite refugees from this area were supported to relocate to Adagom settlement, around 2,000 were found still living there, including refugees who did not opt for relocation, refugees who were commuting between Nigeria and Cameroon and new arrivals who made up 50% of the group. Most of those refugees came from Akwaya and Eyumojock sub-divisions in Cameroon. A lot of them reported to have been commanded to leave their houses by the separatists prior to the elections. ■ Community-based protection - On 26th September 2018, a one-day training was held by UNHCR and National Commission for Refugees (NCFRMI) in Calabar for 16 volunteers from community-based protection groups. The aim of the training was to build their capacity on prevention and response to protection issues affecting Cameroonian refugees in the urban areas of Calabar and Akamkpa (Cross River state). The volunteers facilitate the identification and referral of cases, they are responsible for community mobilization, awareness raising and sensitization sessions. ■ Registration - A three-day training was carried out for 20 newly deployed NCFRMI staff on UNHCR‘s registration systems and protection principles in Ogoja (Cross River state). On 26th September 2018, verification of refugees in Adagom settlement (Cross River state) started with the new staff who are gradually getting familiar with the registration process. ■ Relocation – During the reporting period, 112 refugees arrived spontaneously to Anyake settlement (Benue state) and have been screened by UNHCR Protection team. Most of them came from Akwaya sub-division in Cameroon and spent few days in Etokase way-station, near the border, before arriving to the settlement using motorbikes. Many of them reported that their house had been burnt and also to be scared of eventual clashes during the forthcoming elections. During the screening, six separated children were identified and placed in foster care and 33 school-aged children were identified and enrolled in summer classes currently ongoing in the site. According to the last physical verification exercise, 2,513 individuals were registered in the settlement as of 30th September 2018. ■ Also in Adagom settlement (Ogoja Local Government Area, Cross River state), 816 spontaneous arrivals were recorded during the reporting period. Among them, 386 refugees reported to have arrived straight from Cameroon. Most of those refugees came from Akwaya www.unhcr.org 2

Cameroonian refugee situation, Nigeria / 16 – 30 September 2018

and Eyumojock sub-divisions, and reported to have been commanded to leave their houses by the separatists prior to the elections. ■ As of 30th September 2018, the population of the settlement accounted to 2,859 registered individuals. ■ Food and non-food items – During the reporting period, 461 refugee households (1,529 individuals) received food (rice, beans, cassava flour, oil, sugar and salt) and non-food items (soap, detergent, solar lantern, mat, blanket, kitchen set, jerry can, bucket, and mosquito net) in Adagom settlement (Ogoja, Cross River state). ■ UNHCR conducted a post distribution exercise from 26th to 27th September 2018 to evaluate the distribution of food and non-food items distribution to refugees in Adagom settlement (Cross River state). A total of 146 beneficiaries were selected by random sampling and interviewed. Most of the respondents were generally satisfied. Some of the unmet needs reported included: mosquito nets, mattresses, food complements, cash, clothes, pesticides and stoves. UNHCR will use the results of the report to improve the delivery of assistance. ■ Shelter - On 26th September 2018, construction of permanent shelters by Cameroonian refugees started in Adagom settlement (Cross River state) following distribution of shelter kits (including bricks, bag of nails, corrugated iron sheets and timber) to 56 households on 21st September 2018. UNHCR and its partner Rhema Care will provide support to refugees in all the phases of construction. The project, funded by EU Humanitarian Aid, will support the construction of permanent shelters for 4,000 Cameroonian refugees. ■ Healthcare – On 29th September 2018, UNHCR partner Health Initiative for Safety and Stability in Africa (HIFASS) donated medical equipment to Igyom Primary Health Center (Adikpo, Benue state) to improve the quality of health care services offered to refugees and host community. ■ A total of 564 refugees in Anyake and Adagom settlements were referred to appropriate healthcare centres for medical care during the reporting period. The most common diseases recorded were malaria, typhoid, hypertension, amoebiasis, gastroenteritis, cough and pelvic inflammatory disease. Healthcare partner HIFASS is seeking support from other Non- Governmental Organizations to provide mosquito nets and had carried out awareness-raising campaigns against hypertension and pelvic inflammatory disease in Anyake settlement. ■ Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) – Distribution of 6,000 menstrual hygiene kits to refugee women and girls in reproductive age continued with support from UNHCR partner Norwegian Church Aid (NCA). 723 kits have been distributed so far, 173 during the reporting period in Adagom settlement (Cross River state). Moreover, distribution of 6,000 hygiene kits (including buckets, jerry can, potty, soap and towel) to refugee households continued as well, with 971 household reached so far. ■ Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) installed additional WASH facilities in the two refugee settlements. In Adagom settlement (Cross River state), two 6.5m3 plastic tanks, water taps, eight latrine blocks and ten shower blocks were set up. Moreover, a second water truck of 10m3 capacity was deployed to the settlement to increase water supply for refugees living in the site. In Anyake settlement (Benue state), four latrine blocks and two shower blocs were set up.

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Cameroonian refugee situation, Nigeria / 16 – 30 September 2018

■ In Adagom settlement, 416 refugees were sensitized on hygiene practices for the cleaning of the toilets and disinfectant and cleaning material was distributed. In Anyake settlement, focus group discussions were carried out in the refugee communities (site districts) on improvement of personal and environmental hygiene practices. ■ Camp Coordination and Camp Management - The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) of Benue officially took over Camp Coordination and Camp Management duties in Anyake settlement. The agency will act as a mediator between refugee and hosting communities and will ensure peaceful resolution of conflicts, among other tasks.

Critical needs and priorities

■ In Anyake settlement (Kwande Local Government Area, Benue state), 2,000 mosquito nets are required in order to reduce the incidence of malaria among refugees in the site.

Working in partnership

■ Together with the Nigerian Government, through the National Commission for Refugees (NCFRMI), and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), UNHCR ensures international protection and delivery of multi-sectoral assistance to the Cameroonian refugees and has established a monthly coordination meeting in Calabar to foster closer collaboration with other UN agencies and humanitarian actors. The following partners implement specific sector activities in this situation: Catholic Caritas Foundation Nigeria (CCFN); Catholic Diocese of Makurdi – Foundation for Justice Development and Peace (FJDP); Health Initiative for Safety and Stability in Africa (HIFASS); MEDATRIX Development Foundation; Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and Rhema Care Integrated Development Centre. Other partners also deliver services to the Cameroonian refugees with their own resources such as ADRA, ICRC, MSF, Save the Children and WHO.

CONTACTS Elizabeth Mpimbaza, Snr External Relation Officer, BO Abuja - Nigeria, [email protected], Cell +234 809 016 143 8

Chiara Cavalcanti, Reporting Officer, SO Calabar – Nigeria, [email protected], Cell + 234 908 748 663 5

LINKS UNHCR Operational Portal : Nigeria Country Page - UNHCR Nigeria website – UNHCR Nigeria on Global Focus – UNHCR Nigeria Facebook page – UNHCR Nigeria Twitter account

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Cameroonian refugee situation, Nigeria / 16 – 30 September 2018

Total Refugees per occupation Total Refugees per education

Student 9,313 No education 7,318 Market-Oriented Skilled… 7,338 - 3,702 No occupation 3,436 #N/A 2,430 Unknown 2,685 1 year (or Grade 1) 2,118 Agricultural, Fishery and… 537 12 years (or Grade 12) 1,648 None 484 Unknown 1,254 Life science technicians and… 482 6 years (or Grade 6) 907 Other Professionals 444 7 years (or Grade 7) 807 Personal and Protective… 430 Kindergarten 681 Other Associate Professionals 419 2 years (or Grade 2) 647 Other Craft and Related… 324 3 years (or Grade 3) 623 General managers 183 10 years (or Grade 10) 588 Teaching Professionals 136 14 years (or Grade 14) 585 Extraction and Bulding… 131 5 years (or Grade 5) 556 Drivers and Mobile-Plant… 121 11 years (or Grade 11) 546 Models, Salespersons, and… 65 4 years (or Grade 4) 496 Laborers in Mining,… 63 University level 432 Physical and Engineering… 60 8 years (or Grade 8) 370 Life Science and Health… 60 9 years (or Grade 9) 349 Physical, Mathematical, and… 57 Informal education 292 Precision, Handicraft,… 34 13 years (or Grade 13) 287 Machine Operators and… 28 Technical or vocational 235 Legislators and Senior Officials 16 Post university level 20 Sales and Services… 15

Office Clerks 10

Precision workers in metal… 10

Corporate Managers 5 Total Refugees per gender

Subsistence Agricultural and… 3

Customer Service Clerks 1

Stationary-Plant and Related… 1 Male Female 44% 56%

Total Refugees per age and gender

Female 7,642 Male

5,107

2,829 2,778 2,094 2,115 1,663 1,391 837 435

0 - 4 years 5 - 11 years 12 - 17 years 18 - 59 years 60+ years

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Cameroonian refugee situation, Nigeria / 16 – 30 September 2018